The penalties don't carry much weight, because you have to sue in federal court to get it.The fines do go directly person who was deined coverage (not the gov), but most people won't sue.

Also COBRA coverage is very expensive, so only if someone is raching up jhuge medical bills, drugs or pregnant would this option be viable.

Craig CaseyCOBRAhealth.com

: : : Although the bulletin board is presently sparse on health insurance, I am posting this notice because the press has chosen not to give much information about a Supreme Court decision entered June 8, 1998 (Geissal v. Moore Medical Corp) holding that those who had dual health insurance coverage before the date of election of whether to take COBRA coverage or not, can elect COBRA even though that continues dual coverage. Many individuals who were terminated and covered by their spouse's policy, were not even offered the right to elect COBRA coverage, and that can cost an employer a penalty (paid to the terminating worker) of up to a hundred dollars a day whether the worker needed or wanted dual coverage or not. The offer must be made. The same goes for a worker who was terminated (or quit) and luckily gets another job right away that also provides health insurance. He/she is still entitled to elect to continue COBRA coverage, and if not offered, penalties could run. Dual coverage is not a bad word. It could be less deductibles, greater caps, etc. Many workers have not been given notice and are/were entitled to it.

Mutual/Public Interest: this content is local to your area in that it affects virtually everyone in your area, indirectly or directly: property insurance policyholders. When the next news stories run having to do with a local disaster such as a hurricane, earthquake, flood, tornado, fire, etc., perhaps think of those disaster survivors and to what extent you may have helped in their preparedness and recovery. Thank you for any help you give.